NEW WATERFORD — Municipal officials want people to know it's not OK to contaminate the drinking water of New Waterford and area residents.

"We want people to know they can't play in a watershed area," said Britt Roscoe, watershed co-ordinator for the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.

“If you see boats and motorized vehicles, why would you think it’s OK for them to be down there? It’s not a place you go to play in the mud.”

Roscoe said the public is urged to report people seen driving ATVs, cars, trucks and boats around Kilkenny Lake.

Kilkenny Lakes makes up half of the water supply for New Waterford. Waterford Lake provides the other half.

He said people think because the water is treated, they can do what they want there.

“People have the attitude they can do whatever they want around the watershed area and we’ll clean up the mess.”

He said the CBRM doesn't test the water for gas and oil contamination.

"We don't test for it as we don't expect it to be in the water."

He said turbidity testing is done daily to show how murky the water is. Complete testing, including on pesticides, is done every five years.

Roscoe said motorized traffic stirs up silt, which plugs up the filters at the water treatment plant and causes havoc to the chlorination process.

“It increases the cost of treatment and also raises the risk we won’t get everything disinfected. There are no brooks running into the lakes, it's all springs on the side. When vehicles drive along the shore, it blocks the clean water, makes the lake dirty."

He said on one occasion the CBRM received a call from a fisherman who counted 25 all-terrain vehicles driving around the lake.

"The Department of Natural Resources was out the next day and laid about a dozen charges. Since then DNR comes out more often."

The CBRM water treatment plant is located at Waterford Lake, which offers that lake protection from abuse.

Roscoe said members of the New Waterford and Area Fish and Game Association are a great asset to the CBRM watershed area. He said member Maynard Bates once heard a group was going there for a picnic and contacted them.

“He found them an alternative place to go and the Mud Runners Club were really co-operative."

Dan Fraser, president of the Isle Royale ATV Club, said ATV clubs work with the CBRM to spread the message, "You can't fool around in a watershed," he said.

"People of New Waterford are worried about their water being messed up. That's why it's essential to get the message out to those who understand — you can't drive into and around a water source.

"People drink this water. If any vehicles leave gasoline or oil in the water, it can't be removed at the treatment plant."

Fraser is chairman of the Kilkenny Lake and Waterford Lake source water committee.

Fraser said there are roads around Kilkenny Lake Road running from South Bar to Lingan Road. He said these are provincial roads open for public use but vehicles cannot leave the road and go into the lake area.

He said the CBRM has given the clubs a pipeline trail that can be accessed from the Summit in Scotchtown. The trail is currently six kilometres, with plans to extend it to Loch Lomond in two directions.

"We've put a lot of money into it fixing it up."

Ricky Attwood, president of the New Waterford and Area Fish and Game Association, said all the organizations are constantly spreading the word that motorized vehicles are a serious issue around the watershed areas, but people are not listening.

"We're not just dealing with kids, we're dealing with lots of adults who know better."

Bates, secretary of the New Waterford and Area Fish and Game Association, said vehicles driving in the water along the shore are also killing fish.

"The gas or oil getting in the water puts a film over the water. The fish can no longer get oxygen from the air."

Water Works

• The New Waterford treatment plant provides water to the communities of New Waterford, Scotchtown, River Ryan, New Victoria, and Lingan.

• The water comes from Waterford and Kilkenny Lakes.

• About 1,100,000 gallons of water is pumped from the lakes each day.

• No motorized vehicles or boats are permited in the watershed areas.

• People are permitted to walk into the watershed areas and fish from the shoreline.

• People seeing motorized vehicles or boats on Kilkenny Lake are asked to report the violation by calling 563-5255.

smontgomery@cbpost.com

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